The latest news stories and stories of interest in the Willamette Valley from the digital home of Southern Oregon, from Wynne Broadcasting’s WillametteValleyMagazine.com
Thursday, April 8, 2022
Willamette Valley Weather
Today– Showers likely, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57. West wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday– A 50 percent chance of showers. Snow level 2000 feet. Partly sunny, with a high near 51. Light west northwest wind becoming northwest 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday– Rain likely before noon, then showers likely after noon. Snow level 1500 feet rising to 2000 feet in the afternoon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50. West southwest wind 3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Monday– A chance of rain before noon, then showers likely after noon. Snow level 1000 feet rising to 2000 feet in the afternoon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tuesday– A chance of showers. Snow level 1500 feet rising to 2500 feet in the afternoon. Partly sunny, with a high near 52.
Springfield Fire at Main Street Businesses
Fire crews responded to a fire in multiple structures on Main Street in Springfield early Friday morning.
The fire broke out at 4:13 a.m. between 20th and 21st streets. Upon arrival, fire crews found heavy fire inside and outside the structures.
Fire officials said four storefronts were involved in the fire. Crews were able to save Domn8 Motors and the Greener Side of Life. The structures in between collapsed during the fire. It’s unclear if the structures that collapsed housed operational businesses.
South A Street at 19th Street is blocked off as well as Main Street from 19th Street to 23rd Street until further notice.
McKenzie Highway through Main Street in Springfield is also closed while fire crews work on the scene. ODOT and law enforcement officials are working to figure out detours for traffic due to the highway closure.
No injuries have been reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Oakridge Gets $2.7M Grant To Improve Air Quality
A $2.7 million grant will help reduce air pollution in the Oakridge-Westfir area, the only part of Lane County subject to a “nonattainment” designation for failing to meet federal standards for particulate matter air pollution.
According to the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency:
The area relies heavily on wood stoves and other solid fuel burning appliances as a source of heat for homes. Wintertime inversions often trap wood stove smoke in the community, exposing residents to harmful PM pollution.
“Great work has already been done by residents and partners in Oakridge and Westfir to solve this problem,” said Steve Dietrich, LRAPA executive director. “This support from the EPA will further efforts underway in the community.”
The award supplements an earlier grant award in 2019 which launched the Oakridge Air program.
The program tackles the problem from a variety of angle:
- Wood stove upgrades to cleaner burning devices at no cost to residents
- Weatherization upgrades and minor home repair at no cost to residents
- Ductless heat pump installations at no cost to residents
- Affordable, seasoned firewood providing subsidized rates to low-income, disabled, and senior residents
- Cleaner indoor air via air purifiers and filtration systems provided to residents, schools, and other public facilities
- Increased air quality monitoring in Oakridge
- Strengthened City of Oakridge compliance and enforcement program
More residents will be able to enroll in the program thanks to the additional funding.
It will also fund new efforts that benefit the area, such as support for the City of Oakridge’s yard waste disposal program; offering chimney sweep vouchers, wood moisture meters, and wood stove thermometers to the community and funding collaborative research between Oakridge Air, the University of Oregon, and Oregon State University to evaluate indoor air quality improvements for residents enrolled in the home heating program. The research will also examine the community’s use of program interventions, protective actions residents take when air quality is poor, and common habits that effect an individual’s exposure to PM emissions.
LRAPA says air monitoring in Oakridge shows the area now meets the Clean Air Act’s particulate matter standards and has met those metrics since 2016. The agency has requested the Environmental Protection Agency remove the “nonattainment” label from the Oakridge airshed.
“The redesignation request is the cumulation of years of cooperation, progress, and hard work,” said Dietrich. “As more homes undergo interventions, Oakridge and Westfir’s air quality will continue to improve. We’re optimistic the EPA will approve the request in the coming months.”
Redesigned COVID-19 Daily Data Dashboard: http://ow.ly/WEjB50IBwkh Updated every weekday, the dashboard highlights data from several sources that monitor for COVID-19 trends and links to related dashboards for more detailed information.
OHA releases new COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough report
PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon Health Authority’s most recent update on COVID-19 breakthrough cases, released today, reported 2,035 cases of the virus during the week of March 27 to April 2.
Of those cases, 1,065, or 52.3%, were unvaccinated people, and 960, or 47.2%, were vaccine breakthrough cases. Among the breakthrough cases, 562, or 58.5%, were fully vaccinated and boosted.
The median age of the breakthrough cases during that period was 47. Eleven breakthrough cases involved residents of care facilities, senior living communities or other congregate care settings. There were 60 breakthrough cases in people ages 12 to 17.
To date, there have been 198,382 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases in Oregon. Of those cases, 46,974 or 23.7%, were fully vaccinated. The median age of all cases is 41.
The report shows that the rate of COVID-19 in unvaccinated people last week was about three times higher than in vaccinated people, and in people who are fully vaccinated and boosted.
To date, 2.6% of all vaccine breakthrough cases have been hospitalized, and 0.6% have died. The median age of vaccinated people who died is 80.
Vaccination remains the most effective tool to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Oregonians are encouraged to get vaccinated and, if eligible, get a booster shot.
The latest breakthrough report can be found here. — The next breakthrough report will be published the first Thursday of May, consistent with the new reporting schedule shared last week.
Help Strengthen Families and Prevent Child Abuse, April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
This month and throughout the year, the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Child Welfare Division encourages all individuals and organizations to play a role in making our state a better place for children and families.
We can all help prevent child maltreatment by ensuring parents and communities have the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to keep all children safe.
Research shows that when parents possess protective factors, the risk for neglect and abuse diminish and positive outcomes for children, young people, and families increase. Protective factors are the strengths and resources families draw on during difficult times to shield them from life’s stresses. Some major protective factors include knowledge of parenting and child development, parental resilience, social connections and concrete supports, such as housing and food security.
Children and families are stronger when communities come together to support them before they are in crisis. Helping families in your community meet their basic needs is a critical way to prevent child abuse. Sharing information about food banks, unemployment benefits, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) availability, and educational resources can be extremely helpful.
“Everyone can play a part in strengthening and supporting families,” said Rebecca Jones Gaston, ODHS Child Welfare Director. “While the Child Welfare Division plays a specific role, I want to honor the work that is being done in the larger system of child and family well-being and encourage all Oregonians to be active in preventing child abuse.”
For example, Oregon’s Relief Nurseries help families access support before they are in crisis, Prevent Child Abuse Oregon and Child Abuse Solutions provide outreach and awareness to encourage community connection for prevention, and family-serving organizations, such as Morrison Youth and Family Services, offer opportunities for parent mentorship and increased resilience.
In support of these efforts, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau, Office on Child Abuse and Neglect, together with Child Welfare Information Gateway, and the FRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention developed the 2021/2022 Prevention Resource Guide. The guide provides more information about protective factors and highlights examples of innovative prevention approaches being implemented by communities across the country.
If you suspect a child is being abused, please contact the Child Abuse Hotline at 1-855-503-(SAFE)7233.
More information for resources and support for families:
211info.org (also by dialing 211) offers connection to local and regional resources for food banks, housing assistance, and mental health services
Lines for Life, a nonprofit dedicated to substance abuse and suicide prevention: 1-800-273-8255 or text ‘273Talk’ to 839863
Oregon CASA Network: https://oregoncasanetwork.org/
Oregon Child Abuse Solutions (formerly Oregon Network of Child Abuse Intervention Centers): https://oregoncas.org/
Prevent Child Abuse Oregon: https://preventchildabuseoregon.org/
Oregon Assoc. of Relief Nurseries: https://www.oregonreliefnurseries.org/
About the ODHS Child Welfare Division
The Oregon Department of Human Services, Child Welfare Division is committed to transforming itself to better support the individual needs of families and to best serve Oregon’s children and young people. Learn more about the Child Welfare Division Vision for Transformation.
Senator Wyden Calling For Investigation Into West Coast Gas Prices
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon is among a group of senators calling for an investigation into the high gas prices on the West Coast.
The Democrat joined California Senator Dianne Feinstein and Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington state in sending a letter to the Federal Trade Commission urging the agency to investigate what the senators called elevated and volatile prices for gas, diesel and jet fuel.
Specifically, the senators want the FTC to focus on trading practices which may have affected fuel prices in Western states. The lawmakers say they’re concerned about the disparity between the high prices at the pump and the now declining price of crude oil.
Troopers Find 47,000 Fentanyl Pills-23 Lbs. Of Meth During Traffic Stop On I-5 Linn County
A traffic stop along Interstate 5 in Linn County turned into a major drug bust for Oregon State Police.
Last week, state troopers stopped a car on I-5 for a traffic violation. During that stop, they say the trooper spotted indicators of criminal activity.
After searching the car, they found 47,000 suspected fentanyl pills, and 23 pounds of meth. Police said the driver was from California and the passenger was from Washington state. Both were arrested.
Body Found Partially Buried In The Sand Near Lincoln City
A beachcomber Thursday morning found the body of a man embedded in the sand by the base of a cliff near Lincoln City, authorities reported.
Investigators don’t know the identity of the man or how he died, according to a statement from Lincoln City police.
A caller reported seeing the body about 7:30 a.m. Police said they discovered a man partially buried in the sand south of Canyon Drive Park.
Responders included the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office and the medical examiner, police said.
Police asked anyone with information about the case to contact Lincoln City Police Detective Bud Lane at 541-994-3636.
Search and rescue teams still looking for a missing snowboarder on Mt. Hood
Authorities say Ryan Mather did not return from Mt. Hood Meadows Tuesday night and was reported overdue by his
girlfriend. Teams are focused on areas around the Shooting Star Express chair lift.
At about 9:30 p.m., on Tuesday, the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office received a report about a missing snowboarder at Mt. Hood Meadows. Ryan Mather, 30, was reported overdue by his girlfriend at that time.
Mather, from Aloha, had been snowboarding at Mt. Hood Meadows during the day and did not return home.
The sheriff’s office said Mather’s vehicle was found at Mt. Hood Meadows. Overnight search and rescue operations to locate him were not successful.
Additional search efforts happened Thursday. Searchers are looking in the vast terrain accessed from the Shooting Star Express chair lift, which the sheriff’s office said was Mather’s last reported location on Tuesday morning. The team will consist of skiers in the black diamond and double black diamond areas in and around Heather Canyon and the Private Reserve.
The Hood River Crag Rats, Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue, Mt. Hood Meadows, Portland Mountain Rescue, Corvallis Mountain Rescue, Lane County Sheriff’s Office, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon Air National Guard are assisting with search operations.
FDA Warns Of Raw Oysters Potentially Contaminated With Norovirus
The FDA is warning that tainted raw oysters being sold in Oregon could be linked to a norovirus outbreak. The oysters are from British Columbia and were sold to restaurants and retailers in at least thirteen states.
Those states are New York, New Jersey, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Texas and Washington.
Public health officials are warning restaurants and retailers not to serve or sell potentially contaminated raw oysters linked to a norovirus outbreak that’s now sickened more than 100 people in more than a dozen U.S. states and 279 more in Canada.
Union Bay Seafood on Wednesday said it was recalling certain Pacific Oysters due to possible norovirus contamination, all harvested and processed in mid-March then shipped to retailers, hotels, restaurants and other institutions.
Norovirus is highly contagious and often causes stomach flu, producing symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
Norovirus is the leading cause of food-borne illness in the United States, with about 2,500 reported outbreaks each year. Beyond consuming contaminated food or water, people can get norovirus from other infected people or from touching contaminated surfaces and putting unwashed hands in one’s mouth.
Norovirus is sometimes called the stomach flu, despite the illness being unrelated to the flu, which is caused by the influenza virus.
Grants Pass Missing Person
The Grants Pass Police Department is seeking assistance from the public in locating 30 year old Noah Baker. Baker was despondent after an argument and left his residence in Grants Pass driving a silver Ford Fiesta with Oregon Plate 671MUR.
Baker is described as a white male adult, 5’09”, 170 lbs, brown hair and blue eyes and was last seen wearing black sweats, black shirt, black shoes and a black hat.
If anyone knows of his whereabouts or sees Baker, please call your local law enforcement agency or the Grants Pass Police at 541-450-6260. Reference case #2022-14203 Grants Pass Police Department
Klamath County Sheriff’s Office Asks for Public’s Help in Search For Trucker Suspect
The first real clue to come in on all the missing person cases in the area. Help Klamath Falls Oregon Sheriff Office ID this trucker. He was the last to see this woman alive and could be the key to not only solving this woman’s disappearance but a number of the hundred other women missing in PNW. IF you have any information, please call (541) 883-5130
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Have-You-Seen-Me-Southern-Oregons-Missing-People-161249961222839/posts/